Former GWU leader honored decade after objection to university cheating scandal

Gil Blackburn, left, receives his honorary doctorate with a greeting from GWU President Dr. Frank Bonner. (Heather Pendergraft/Gardner-Webb University/Special to The Star)

By Staff reports

Published: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at 05:22 PM.

A decade ago, Dr. Gil Blackburn was demoted from his duties as dean at Gardner-Webb University.

His objection to a cheating scandal involving then-GWU President Dr. Chris White and a standout basketball player drew ire from campus leaders.

Blackburn left the university and landed a job as dean of the University of Virginia’s Wise campus.

Since then, Blackburn has renewed his relationship with the university, which since 2005 has been under the leadership of Dr. Frank Bonner.

And this week, Blackburn received the honorary doctor of humane letters degree. He also served as the commencement speaker for GWU’s commencement ceremonies.

He told graduates they are in position to help people, even those who may not seem to want help.

“All of you – pastors, teachers, nurses, counselors and business people, in a typical year, encounter individuals who need more than your professional code of ethics requires you to give them,” Blackburn told the graduates. “The Bible has a name for that kind of obligation; it’s called ‘going the second mile.’ When you ‘go the second mile,’ you have a unique opportunity to impact peoples’ lives. In doing so, you change the world – at least your corner of the world. You also serve the God who gave you the gifts you possess.”

‘A great place’

In 2002, Blackburn went “the second mile.”

White had instructed the school’s registrar to change the grade calculation of standout basketball player Carlos Webb. That change was the difference between Webb being eligible and ineligible to play for the university team. The NCAA investigated.

Sides formed around the controversy.

White and the university’s trustees hired a law firm to investigate what happened, and that investigation was later revealed to be a sham.

For Blackburn, the scandal was more than eligibility and grading policies. He said it was the difference between a university built on honor and a university built on something else.

“The honor code governs academic behavior on campus,” he told The Star in September 2012. “It applies to everyone. One of the low points was when the head of the law firm that trustees brought in made the statement that the honor code didn’t apply to the president. I sat with the students and we wrote the honor code back in the late 1990s. The students approved it, the GWU faculty approved it. I took it to the senior staff – Chris White didn’t like it, didn’t want it.”

Following the grading scandal, White quickly resigned, and Blackburn’s career changed in light of his objections and demotion.

Bonner discussed Blackburn’s actions and legacy with The Star last year.

“He has a great place,” Bonner said of Blackburn. “He epitomizes a lot of the values of Gardner-Webb – moral, Christian, academic leadership, integrity, a great champion of academic standards. I don’t want this to sound wrong, but you sort of have to be in academics to understand the commitment to academic standards, quality and integrity. I see that in Gil. I think that’s where he stands. I know I said I wouldn’t talk about the events of 2002, but I will say again, Gil did the right thing.”

‘Entire gamut of human emotions’

The honorary doctor of humane letters is GWU’s highest recognition of merit.

“There is no single individual who has had a greater influence on the award-winning curriculum, the exceptional faculty, and the academic culture that shapes the Gardner-Webb experience than Dr. Gil Blackburn,” Bonner said during Monday’s commencement ceremony. “Today, for his years of faithful servant-leadership, his unwavering integrity, his considerable contributions to the academic communities at Gardner-Webb and Virginia-Wise, and his embodiment of the ideals for which this institution is known, it is my distinct privilege, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, to present the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to Dr. Gil Blackburn.”

Blackburn earned his associate’s degree from GWU in 1960 before receiving multiple advanced degrees at other institutions.

His career in higher education spanned five decades and included more than 35 years at GWU and six years at UVA Wise before his retirement in 2010.

Blackburn told The Star in 2012 he was touched by Bonner’s “right thing” comment.

“I appreciate him articulating that. He was very magnanimous in making those comments,” Blackburn said. “I have felt at times as if I was in exile because I had no official relationship with the university.”

With his degree this week, Blackburn’s relationship was officially restored.

“I’ve been through the full range of experiences that one can encounter at Gardner-Webb,” Blackburn said during his commencement address this week. “I’ve been a student here, a football player of sorts, an SGA officer, a member of the academic honor society, an instructor of history, a director of the master of arts program, an associate dean, a dean of academic affairs. I met my wife on this campus, reared my children here, saw my daughter graduate from here with a bachelor of science in nursing. I’ve taught about 4,000 students here, watched thousands of others grow and mature here. I’ve laughed and wept here, struggled and groped my way and yearned for greater fulfillment in my life.

“I’ve failed and I’ve succeeded. I’ve experienced the entire gamut of human emotions and divine ecstasy all here in this place. The college’s classrooms, chapels and playing fields are holy ground for me because in those places, I put away childish things, became a man, conversed with my friends, communed with God, charted my future, worked, worked and again worked. Not for the sake of working, but always with a resolute determination to be more than I formerly was.”

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A decade ago, Dr. Gil Blackburn was demoted from his duties as dean at Gardner-Webb University.

His objection to a cheating scandal involving then-GWU President Dr. Chris White and a standout basketball player drew ire from campus leaders.

Blackburn left the university and landed a job as dean of the University of Virginia’s Wise campus.

Since then, Blackburn has renewed his relationship with the university, which since 2005 has been under the leadership of Dr. Frank Bonner.

And this week, Blackburn received the honorary doctor of humane letters degree. He also served as the commencement speaker for GWU’s commencement ceremonies.

He told graduates they are in position to help people, even those who may not seem to want help.

“All of you – pastors, teachers, nurses, counselors and business people, in a typical year, encounter individuals who need more than your professional code of ethics requires you to give them,” Blackburn told the graduates. “The Bible has a name for that kind of obligation; it’s called ‘going the second mile.’ When you ‘go the second mile,’ you have a unique opportunity to impact peoples’ lives. In doing so, you change the world – at least your corner of the world. You also serve the God who gave you the gifts you possess.”

‘A great place’

In 2002, Blackburn went “the second mile.”

White had instructed the school’s registrar to change the grade calculation of standout basketball player Carlos Webb. That change was the difference between Webb being eligible and ineligible to play for the university team. The NCAA investigated.

Sides formed around the controversy.

White and the university’s trustees hired a law firm to investigate what happened, and that investigation was later revealed to be a sham.

For Blackburn, the scandal was more than eligibility and grading policies. He said it was the difference between a university built on honor and a university built on something else.

“The honor code governs academic behavior on campus,” he told The Star in September 2012. “It applies to everyone. One of the low points was when the head of the law firm that trustees brought in made the statement that the honor code didn’t apply to the president. I sat with the students and we wrote the honor code back in the late 1990s. The students approved it, the GWU faculty approved it. I took it to the senior staff – Chris White didn’t like it, didn’t want it.”

Following the grading scandal, White quickly resigned, and Blackburn’s career changed in light of his objections and demotion.

Bonner discussed Blackburn’s actions and legacy with The Star last year.

“He has a great place,” Bonner said of Blackburn. “He epitomizes a lot of the values of Gardner-Webb – moral, Christian, academic leadership, integrity, a great champion of academic standards. I don’t want this to sound wrong, but you sort of have to be in academics to understand the commitment to academic standards, quality and integrity. I see that in Gil. I think that’s where he stands. I know I said I wouldn’t talk about the events of 2002, but I will say again, Gil did the right thing.”

‘Entire gamut of human emotions’

The honorary doctor of humane letters is GWU’s highest recognition of merit.

“There is no single individual who has had a greater influence on the award-winning curriculum, the exceptional faculty, and the academic culture that shapes the Gardner-Webb experience than Dr. Gil Blackburn,” Bonner said during Monday’s commencement ceremony. “Today, for his years of faithful servant-leadership, his unwavering integrity, his considerable contributions to the academic communities at Gardner-Webb and Virginia-Wise, and his embodiment of the ideals for which this institution is known, it is my distinct privilege, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, to present the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to Dr. Gil Blackburn.”

Blackburn earned his associate’s degree from GWU in 1960 before receiving multiple advanced degrees at other institutions.

His career in higher education spanned five decades and included more than 35 years at GWU and six years at UVA Wise before his retirement in 2010.

Blackburn told The Star in 2012 he was touched by Bonner’s “right thing” comment.

“I appreciate him articulating that. He was very magnanimous in making those comments,” Blackburn said. “I have felt at times as if I was in exile because I had no official relationship with the university.”

With his degree this week, Blackburn’s relationship was officially restored.

“I’ve been through the full range of experiences that one can encounter at Gardner-Webb,” Blackburn said during his commencement address this week. “I’ve been a student here, a football player of sorts, an SGA officer, a member of the academic honor society, an instructor of history, a director of the master of arts program, an associate dean, a dean of academic affairs. I met my wife on this campus, reared my children here, saw my daughter graduate from here with a bachelor of science in nursing. I’ve taught about 4,000 students here, watched thousands of others grow and mature here. I’ve laughed and wept here, struggled and groped my way and yearned for greater fulfillment in my life.

“I’ve failed and I’ve succeeded. I’ve experienced the entire gamut of human emotions and divine ecstasy all here in this place. The college’s classrooms, chapels and playing fields are holy ground for me because in those places, I put away childish things, became a man, conversed with my friends, communed with God, charted my future, worked, worked and again worked. Not for the sake of working, but always with a resolute determination to be more than I formerly was.”